American Cancer Society history

In 1914, the Society began to print pamphlets on cancer and one in particular, entitled "Facts About Cancer," was mailed to approximately 14,000 people.

By 1922, the Society had grown so large that its budget was increased to $60,000.

In 1924, while continuing to educate, the American Society also established cancer clinics to provide early diagnosis and treatment for patients, and to fight fraudulent cancer cures.

John D. Rockefeller contributed the sum of $125,000 in 1926, substantially helping the Society toward its goal of $1 million for an endowment campaign.

The sword came from a 1928 nationwide poster contest sponsored by the ASCC and the New York City Cancer Committee.

In 1929, the organization published one of its most influential booklets, "What Every Woman Should Know About Cancer," while an earlier released pamphlet, the "Danger Signals of Cancer," had become so popular that it was being published in 22 languages.

Marjorie Illig was an ASCC field representative in 1936.

Some of the Women’s Field Army in Service, April 1942.

In 1945, the ASCC was reorganized as the American Cancer Society.

We’ve invested more than $5 billion in cancer research since 1946, all to find more – and better – treatments, uncover factors that may cause cancer, and improve cancer patients’ quality of life.

Our advocacy later contributed to the passage of the National Cancer Act in 1971, which granted special funds and authority to expand the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and revolutionized the war on cancer.